The Great Solar Eclipse of 2017 crossed the continent, from Oregon to South Carolina, and gave millions of people the chance to witness one of the most awe-inspiring events in the natural world.

But you had to be within the "path of totality", a narrow band across the earth's surface several thousand miles long but only about 70 miles wide. Outside that band you would only see a partial eclipse, not a total eclipse.

And there is no such thing as a "partial total eclipse", despite the impression blogs and the news media might give. I honestly think that's why so many people misunderstand the utter beauty of the spectacle; they may have seen a partial eclipse in the past that was total somewhere else, and even though they weren't in the path the news kept gushing about it being a total eclipse, so they assume they must have seen a total eclipse and just didn't find it all that impressive.


Posted by Dan 08/29/2017, revised 09/06/2017

Sunday's Capitol View Triathlon was a good way to start the season.

2 weeks ago Lake Mendota was a brain-freezing 56 degrees (so I'm told... Sunday was my first day back in open water this year!), but with the sweltering heat we had last week, the water warmed up nicely. After we got our worst weather (tornado warnings, temps in the 90's, withering humidity...) out of the way earlier in the week, Sunday rolled in like it was made for a triathlon: mild, breezy, mostly sunny.

The swim was great - smooth and clear. With only 20 or 30 people in the first wave, there was no crowding to worry about, so it was easy to get into a rhythm and just go. Towards the end though, I made the mistake of standing much too soon. The water is shallow a long ways out, but I know that swimming is much faster than water jogging... It was like those dreams that people have where they're sprinting top speed, and going nowhere. My feet were getting sucked into the mud with every step. With that final goofy, slow-motion slog through the water, the crowds along the beach must've felt like they were cheering for turtle races!

I was definitely looking forward to the bike. I'm familiar with the course, a scenic and moderately hilly route through farm country. There are some great stretches for hitting top speed, which is one of the highlights of race day! Out on the bike course, I'm often humbled by how lucky I am to be out there doing this at all, but also how lucky I am to be surrounded by beautiful scenery and open space. Being packed into a city like Chicago taught me to appreciate the freedom of being able to get out and really fly down those country roads.

The run was when things started to really get tough - a trail run, which I was in no way prepared for (other than knowing ahead of time that it was a trail run). All of my run training lately has been on solid surfaces, and I've come to love the reliabilty of some good firm asphalt underfoot. The course wound through shady forested areas of dirt & rock path, and emerged into open hilly, grassy fields where the trail was mown shorter, but still thick and spongy and uneven. I normally approach a speed run kind of like a machine - I just turn it on and let my legs take care of the rest while I focus on fending off any notions of stopping for a quick nap. A trail run engages the runner in a much different way - you have to be constantly alert, seeking the right placement for every step, darting, turning, climbing... I love a trail run as a faster version of hiking, but when it comes to pure speed, it's just not as satisfying!

I finished the race feeling solid, and earned myself a 2nd Place Overall commemorative lager glass, which I later filled with the appropriate victory treat.

Oreo milkshake.


Posted by kim 06/13/2011

Vang Vieng is a small town in Northern Laos which is unfortunately a stop on the backpackers beaten trail, destroying any charm it once had and turning it into a feeding frenzy for those looking to squeeze an easy buck from the ignorant travellers. We had to stop however because just outside Vang Vieng are incredible limestone cliffs and the only climbing sites in Laos. The weather was threatening to rain but we decided we couldn't risk missing the only chance we would have. We grabbed our shoes, rented the rope and harnesses we would need from a local shop and headed for the closest, driest site.

Eager to get some real climbing in

Posted by nik 11/15/2008, revised 11/15/2008

Nik and I have spent the last 3 months exploring around Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. After spending a fair amount of time in SE Asia, I think it is time for some SE Asia Superlative Awards (*Vietnam must be excluded from this ceremony, as a visit there has been saved for another trip). I would like all of you to keep in mind that these awards are not "how it is." I am not saying I have done a complete sampling of each of the countries and have collected what I believe to be "the truth." These awards are simply based off of my experiences in these countries, which may differ drastically from another traveler's experiences. So please enjoy the Best and the Worst, as accounted by Whitney.

Food (start with the important one)

Best: Thailand, hands down, no question. Curries, spices, fried dishes, fun nuggets... all done perfectly. In Thailand, I can pretty much walk into just about anywhere and get something enjoyable, if not out of this world.

Some delicious Thai food. Can't get enough of this stuff!

Worst: Laos. I'm sorry, but Laos didn't bring it. I actually skipped meals in Laos (which anyone knows is not like me at all!) because they just disappointed me. They did, however, own on the sticky rice! That was their sole contribution to good food.

Coffee

Best: Laos. This partially redeems Laos for their bad food. Lao coffee is amazing. It is possibly, if I may be so bold, some of the best coffee I've had.

Worst: Thailand. NesCafe everywhere! You find the occasional establishment advertising, "Real coffee!" as if it's something out of this world, when in fact, in most cases, it's still just a Denny's-status cup of coffee.

Beer

Best: Laos. To label any southeast Asian beer with the word "best" is a bit difficult (especially coming from beer-tastic Oregon), but BeerLao is still a tasty beer. It's tasty, it comes in big bottles, and it's cheap! (within the country)

BeerLao - good stuff!

Worst: Cambodia. Anchor Beer seemed to be the country's beer... bleh! It's watery, tastes like shoes, and manages to leave you with a throbbing headache the next day after only 2 beers. Something's not right about that.

Posted by Whitney 12/12/2008